Short Telomere Subtelomeric Hypomethylation is associated with Telomere Attrition in Elderly Diabetic Patients

Telomere shortening is well known to be associated with the aging process and aging-associated diseases, including diabetes. The telomere length and subtelomeric methylation status in peripheral leucocytes (LTL) were compared in elderly type 2 diabetes (T2D) patients and diabetes-free controls (C). The methylation status was analyzed between MspI-TRF lengths and HpaII-TRF lengths by using methylation-sensitive and -insensitive restriction enzyme isoschizomers, MspI and HpaII, respectively. The mean telomere lengths, MspI-TRF or HpaII-TRF, were not significantly different between C and T2D patients. The percentage of fractionated densitometry showed that long and middle telomeres (>9.4 kb, 4.4–9.4 kb) were unaltered but short telomeres (